Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Russia and Kazakhstan, and attend the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kazak capital of Astana before attending the G8 plus five summit in England, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in Beijing on June 21.

The spokesman, Liu Jianchao, said Hu's trip will last from June 30 to July 7. He was invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazak President Nursultan Nazarbayev and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The G8 Summit Outreach Session will be held in the United Kingdom between the G8 and leaders of China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico.

President Hu took a joint interview from Russia's Itar-Tass News Agency and Channel One TV station in Beijing Tuesday morning prior to his visit to Russia, according to the press release.

Hu answered questions concerning the China-Russia strategic partnership, bilateral economic and trade cooperation, key international issues and the development of China's reform and opening up, the release said, without giving further details.

By People's Daily Online